Effects of management treatments on carabid communities of cereal field headlands.

Abstract

The overall abundance and species composition of carabid beetles were compared in three different cereal field headland management regimes in the Breckland area of eastern England. Uncropped Wildlife Strips, which were cultivated but not sown, contained more species and a greater overall abundance of carabids than either sprayed headlands or 'Conservation Headlands', which were sown but which received reduced pesticide inputs. Both carabid abundance and species richness of the community were correlated with percentage cover of dicotyledonous plants and the abundance of other invertebrates. The species richness of the community was also strongly related to total vegetation cover and abundance of aphids and Collembola. Experimental reduction of vegetation in Uncropped Wildlife Strips lead to a decrease in abundance of most species of carabid except Bembidion lampros.